Manual parking meter



April '14, 1970 C.'M. MATIHISON ETAL 3,506,102

MANUAL PARKING METER Filed Dec. 19. 19s: 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 O INVENTOR 8574 CHARLES M MATH/SON 79 JOHN W VAN HORN 87 JACK A. PR/CKETT 75 1 WWW 2a30;

ATTORNEYS Apr-i114, 1970 CLNLMATHISON ETAL 3,506,102

MANUAL PARKING METER Filed Dec. 19, 1967 5 sheets-sheet a INVENTORCHARLES M. MATH/6U JOHN W MN HORN JACK A. PR/CKETT ATTORNEYS April 14,1970 c. M. MATHISON ETAL 3,506,102

MANUAL PARKING METER Filed Dec. 19. 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORCHARLES'M MAT H/SO/V JOHN W. VA/V HORN JACK A. P/P/C/(E'TT ATTORNEYS C.M. MATHISON ETAL April 14, 1,970

MANUAL PARKING METER Filed Dec. 19, 19s? 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORCHARLES M MATH/SON JOHN W VAN HORN JACK/1. PR/CKETT M4 MMW ATTORNEY 5United States Patent 3,506,102 MANUAL PARKING METER Charles M. Mathison,Indian Lakes Estates, Fla., and John W. Van Horn and Jack A. Prickett,Russellville, Ark., assignors to Rockwell Manufacturing Co., Pittsburgh,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 19, 1967, Ser. No. 691,814Int. Cl. B65d 43/16, 51/18; G07f /00 US. Cl. 19484 30 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A manual wind up parking meter for handlingmultidenomination coins and differentiating the purchasing value of eachto effect a maximum time setting upon insertion of the highest valuecoin and pro-rata incre mental time settings upon insertion of coins oflesser purchasing value.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Multiple coin parking meters adapted formanual operation as heretofore constructed have employed door castingsas the mounting for the meter mechanisms, coin cams and coin drivemechanisms, usually involving complicated sensing lever systems forgaging the coins to set the time setting mechanisms, and in some casesseparately constructed anti-back up pawl and rack gear mechanisms toassure full unidirectional time setting movement of each deposited cointhrough the meter to a point of discharge before the meter isconditioned to indicate timing operation and dispense the appropriatetime purchased in accord with the value of the inserted coin. Typicalexamples are the meters of Wheelbarger et al. Patent 3,160,256,Solenberger Patents 3,027,866 and 2,603,288 and Miller et al. Patents2,070,445 and 1,799,- 056. These prior art meters, however, havepresented serious service problems particularly when it becomesnecessary to replace a damaged meter mechanism due to the necessity ofdismantling the hinge carrying the door casting, the. inability toreadily bodily remove and replace a defective portion of the operatingmechanism, or when it is desired to adapt the meter for acceptance ofdifferent coin combinations. The present invention simplifies theseservicing problems and provides a more rugged mechanism by provision ofa unique door casting hinge mount permitting ready removal of the doorcasting with the assembled meter operating mechanism as a unit whendesired and constructing the meter operating mechanism in the form ofunitary removable subassemblies as will hereinafter appear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary object of the present invention is toprovide a manual parking meter employing a simplified common coin drivemechanism adapted to receive coins of varying denomination and size andinterchangeable coin entrance slot members, coin cams, clock movements,time setting racks, pointer drive gear trains, and dial scales toselectively provide meters of any desired time dispensing increments.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a parking meteraccording to the preceding object with a common base and door castingwhereby the Wide range meter selection mechanism can be mounted andhoused without the need of providing structurally differing bases, doorcastings and coin drive mechanisms.

Still another object is to provide a parking meter composed of a basecasting and a mechanism mounting door casting mounted on a hinge pincarried by the base casting so as to be removable without the necessityof removing the hinge pin or providing access to the locked coin boxformed in the base casting.

Another object of the present invention resides in providing a mechanismmounting door casting with an opening to interchangeably mount coinentrance slot members adapting the meter selectively for use with avariety of coin combinations by selection of the appropriate entrance,coin cam, and graduated dial.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a manualparking meter of the penny, nickel, dime or penny, nickel, dime, quartertype with a common coin drive mechanism that will forcefully eject thecoins of varying denomination at the same point in the time settingrotation of the mechanism into a well in position for inspection throughan inspection window and then forcefully eject the coin from the well asa succeeding coin approaches the point of ejection from the coin drivemechanism.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a manualparking meter door casting carrying the meter operating mechanism with adetachable hinge mounting adapting the door casting and mounted meteroperating mechanism for ready unitary removal and replacement in the,field without exposing the coin box to the service man in event itbecomes necessary to servicethe meter operating mechanism or replace itwith an operating mechanism adapted to dispense different time intervalsor receive different coin combinations.

Another object of this invention is to provide a manual parking meterwherein the coin entrance member, the coin cam, the coin drivemechanism, the time setting rack gear, the clock movement and the dialscale may be readily removed and replaced as independent units forpurpose of repair or to convert the meter to dispense different timeintervals or receive different coin combinations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Further objects of the invention willappear from the following description and appended claims when read inconjunction with the appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a parking meter made inaccordance with the present invention as viewed from the face of thedoor casting;

FIGURE 2, is an enlarged elevational view looking into the inside faceof the door casting showing the details of construction for mounting themeter mechanism;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmental elevational view of the inside face of the doorcasting of FIGURE 2 with the coin drive mechanism coin cam, coinpositioning Well, and coin retainer lever and coin ejector mechanism inopera tive correlation therein;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the coin cam of FIGURE 3 on anenlarged scale;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation view of the coin cam of FIGURE 4 as viewedfrom the right side of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmental vertical sectional view taken on line66 of FIGURE 3 looking in the direction of the arrows in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged front elevational view of the coin drivemechanism of FIGURE 3;

FIGURES 8 and 9 are respectively a front elevational view and a rightside view further enlarged for clarity of the hinge pillar assembly ofthe coin drive mechanism of FIGURE 7;

FIGURES 10 and 11 are respectively a front elevational view of the coincarrier of the coin drive mechanism of FIGURE 7 and a top plan view ofcoin drive mechanism of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged end view of the anti-back up lever of the coindrive mechanism of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 13 is a front elevational view of the meter clock and indicatorflag unit employed in the parking meter of FIGURE 1 on the scale used inFIG. 2;

FIGURE 14 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 1414 of FIGURE 13looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 15 is a bottom plan view of the rack hub forming a part of theindicator flag unit of FIGURE 13.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With continued reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein the same reference characters are usedthroughout to indicate the same parts, the meter of the presentinvention comprises a conventional two-part meter housing made up of abase member 21 defining a coin box (not shown) and adapted to be mountedin the conventional manner on a support post or the like (not shown) anda door casting 23 removably hingedly mounted upon base 21 by means ofthe opposite ends of a hinge pin 24. Hinge pin 24 is carried by the coinbox closure door 22 provided internally with a hinge pin set screw 24aengaged midway of hinge pin 24 so its opposite ends protrude internallyextending through and beyond upstanding cars 25 of base member 21. Thisinternally disposed set screw is inaccessible from the chamber housingthe meter mechanism assuring a pivot pin that is removable only byauthorized personnel having a key to the coin box. Since casting 23carries the entire meter mechanism, its ready removability for shopservicing while a replacement casting and meter mechanism is installedis desirable. This is achieved in accord with the present invention bynotching the hinge end of casting 23 at 26 to receive ears 25 and thehinge portion of coin box door 22, providing dependent corner ears 27formed on face F and inwardly curving upstanding sidewalls of casting 23at the ends of the inwardly curving sidewalls, and inturned end flanges28 integrally formed at the lower ends of the respective sidewalls. Thecars 27 are delimited at their inner ends opposite flanges 28 byupstanding corner notched bosses 29 of lesser height than the sidewallsto define wells the bottoms of which are concavely curved to formjournal seats for the ends of hinge pin 24 and upstanding lugs 29a. Lugs29a and their respective opposing flanges 28 are coaxially drilled asshown at 30 to receive roll pins P (FIGURE 2) spanning the journal seatforming wells at a height approximately equal to the diameter of hingepin 24 to retain the concave well bottoms in journalled engagement withthe pin ends.

As will be clear from FIGURES 1 through 11 of the drawings, the coindrive mechanism D is non-rotatably mounted on a shaft 31 generallycentrally journalled in the wall forming face F of door casting 23 forrotation in spaced relation to face F which is provided at angularlyspaced points around shaft 31 with suitable upstanding bosses 33 to 36adapted to mount a coin entrance member E and a coin cam C, andupstanding bosses 37 through 39 for mounting time module or meter clockand indicator flag unit M, including a clock movement 40, expired timeflag and its operating linkage 41, and violation flag and its operatingmechanism 42.

Referring for the moment to FIGURE 3 wherein the door casting 23 isillustrated as it appears looking into the generally dish shaped castingwith meter clock and indicator flag unit M removed and FIGURE 2 whichalso omits the coin drive mechanism D, it will be clear that casting 23at its upper end is conventionally provided with a window opening 43closed by a peripherally sealed window glass 44 held in place by screws45 extending through suitably formed openings in the window glass intotapped bosses 46 (FIGURE 2) formed in casting 23. Screws 45 locatedalong the lower edge of window opening 43 also secure a backing plate 47in place for display through the lower portion of window opening 43.Backing plate 47 has an inclined display wall 48 formed midway of itstop edge with an arcuate portion 49 the face of which opposite window 44may have the manufacturers name and trademark imprinted thereon ifdesired.

Backing plate 47 at points on opposite sides of its lateral center lineis provided with respective pairs of upper and lower punched outelongated tabs 49a adapted to slidingly mount informative plates 5i)(FIGURE 1) viewable through window 44 and containing, for example, thefollowing information:

Enforcement8 a.-m. to 6 pm. Sundays and holidays excepted.

Rate-Penny, 12 minutes; nickel, 1 hour; dime, 2 hours.

As best seen in FIGURES 1 through 3, door casting 23 adjacent and belowone end of window opening 43 is apertured at 51 to receive coin entrancemember E, preferably of hardened plastic, fixed to casting 23 bysecuring screws 52 freely passed through screw passages (not shown)suitably formed at the inner corners of member E and threaded intotapped bosses 33 and 34 formed on casting 23. Member E comprises alaminar block of plastic having either respective spaced coin slots 53,54 and 55 (FIGURE 1) or alternatively slots 53 and 54 only of diiferentwidth formed therein and adapted in the i1- lustrations to respectivelyreceive a dime, a nickel or penny, and a quarter or a dime and nickelorpenny only when the alternate entrance member is provided. In eithercase the entrance member E is preferably sealed to the walls of aperture51 and serves to pass the inserted coins from the exposed face of memberB through the opposite face 56 (FIGURES 2 and 3) from which the coinspass by gravity into the appropriate slot of the coin carrier of coindrive mechanism D, which is common to both of the coin handlingalternatives mentioned, in a manner to be presently described in detail.

THE COIN CAM Coin cam C, shown in FIGURES 3 to 5, is of generallyarcuate configuration and about 189 in length, and is fixedly mounted tocasting 23 by securing screws 57 passing freely through screw passagesin flange 58 formed on the peripheral face of coin cam C and locatedtherealong in position to align with tapped bosses 35 and 36 so screws57 can be threaded home into bosses 35 and 36 to draw coin cam C downagainst bosses 35 and 36 leaving a space between coin cam C and face Fof casting 23 below the portion of coin cam C lying between bosses 35and 36. Referring for the moment to FIGURE 4, the outer peripheralmarginal portion of the upper face of coin cam C is provided withintegral upstanding ratchet teeth 59 disposed along an arcuate pathconcentric with the rotational axis of coin drive mechanism D providedby shaft 31 journalled in casting 23. Ratchet teeth 59 are formed attheir counterclockwise disposed ends with right angularly upstanudingfaces 60 and their opposite faces slope in a clockwise direction fromthe upper ends of faces 60 to the upper face of coin cam C immediatelyadjacent the lower ends of the adjacent clockwise disposed tooth faces60. Teeth 59 serve as ratchet teeth for cooperation with an anti-backpawl 61 (FIGURE 3) of coin drive mechanism D to be hereinafter describedin detail.

In the disclosed embodiment of the invention and purely as an example ofan operative structure the operable dimensions dictated by the diameterof the coins to be handled and the size of the coin drive mechanism D, adime, nickel, penny in the illustrated meter, coin cam C radiallyinwardly from ratchet teeth 59 is arcuately recessed on a radius of1.611 inches to provide a cam wall 62 normal to the upper coin cam facewhich, when coin cam C is assembled on door casting 23 as describedabove, will be concentrically related to the rotational axis of shaft 31of coin drive mechanism D. A second arcuate recess is provided in coincam C radially inwardly of and below cam wall 62 to provide a ledge 63normal to wall 62 at its lower end and a second composite cam wallnormal to the upper coin cam face made up for merging camming wallsegments 64, 65 and 66 of ditfering radial offsets and arcuate lengths.Wall segment 64 adjacent the clockwise end of coin cam C has a radius of1.562 inches and extends counterclockwise concentrically with shaft 31of coin drive mechanism D throughout an angular distance of about 70radially inwardly of wall 62 in the dime, penny, nickel meter hereillustrated and merges over an angular distance of about 7 into radiallyinwardly disposed wall segment 65. Wall segment 65 has a radius of 1.500inches and in a dime, penny nickel meter extends counterclockwiseconcentrically with shaft 31 of coin drive mechanism D throughout anangular distance of about 61 35' radially inwardly of wall segment 64and merges over an angular distance of about 7 into radially inwardlydisposed wall segment 66. In a quarter, dime, penny nickel meter thearcuate length of wall segment 65 would be reduced appropriately toprovide for a lesser time setting for a deposited nickel as may bedesired. Wall segment 66 has a radius of 1.437 inches and radiallycoincides with the inner wall 66a of coin cam C which defines the lowerradially inwardly disposed inner peripheral wall of coin cam Cconcentric with shaft 31 of coin drive mechanism D. Wall 66:2-66 extendsangularly from the clockwise end of coin cam C to form a ledge 67intersecting wall segments 64 and 65. In a quarter, dime, penny, nickelmeter the arcuate length of wall 66a-66 would be decreased by providingan initial wall segment of greater radius to provide a lesser timesetting for a dime as may be desired. Wall segment 66 and wall 66a attheir counterclockwise ends terminate abruptly at 68 where theyintersect wall segment 69 paralleling the axis of shaft 31 of coin drivemechanism D and of equal height to the combined height of camming Wallsegment 66 and wall 66a Wall segment 69 terminates at 70 providing inoperation a common gradual release point for driven coins of differingvalue at the end of their respective time setting operations. Afterleaving wall segment 69 the driven coins are ejected as will hereinafterbe pointed out to drop into position opposite a coin inspection window71 formed by a protrusion on a plastic well fixedly secured over opening72 (FIGURES l and 7) provided near the hinged end of casting 23 in amanner to be more fully hereinafter pointed out.

THE COIN POSITIONING WELL RETAINER LEVER AND EJECTOR LEVER MECHANISM Toassure proper positioning of the ejected coins opposite window 71, doorcasting 23 at its hinged end adjacent lugs 29 is provided with atransversely disposed coin receiving well 73 of transparent plastic(FIGURE 2) formed by a thick planar wall 74 of irregular configurationparallelling face F of casting 23 and notched at its lower right cornerat 75, an upstanding end wall 76 of equal height to bosses 29 anddiverging upwardly and to the left to terminate in overlapping spacedrelation below wall segment 69 of coin cam C (FIGURE 3), an oppositesegmental arcuately shaped end wall 77 of equal height to bosses 29, anda shallow, generally laterally extending, upstanding rib 77. Wall 74 ofwell 73 on its under face is formed with a circular, protruding boss 78which extends through a window opening of equal diameter in the wall ofcasting 23 and mounts a weather seal ring 79 which clamps betweencasting face F surrounding the window opening and the main body of wall74 when well 73 is drawn downwardly by its securing screw 80. Thissealed window opening permits inspection of a coin delivered from coindrive mechanism D into well 73 upon completion of each full time settingrotation of coin drive mechanism D and the delivered coin remains inwell 73 until ejected as hereinafter pointed out upon delivery of asecond coin at the end of a succeeding time setting rotation of coindrive mechanism D. The lower corners of well 73 are engaged byupstanding bosses 81 and 82 the flat upper faces of which lie in theplane of the upper edges of end walls 76 and 77 and are provided withtapped blind bores 83 (FIGURE 2) for threadedly receiving securingscrews 84 securing a cover plate 85 (FIGURE 3) to bosses 81 and 82 toclose the open side of well 73.

Cover plate 85 mounts a spring biased coin retainer and ejector levermechanism composed of a first pivoted multi-arm coin retainer lever 86having a right engularly downwardly bent arm 87 arranged to normallyblock passage of a coin downwardly through notch 75 into the coin box(not shown) disposed behind door 22 (FIG- URE 1) and a second rightangularly bent arm 88 the terminal end of which extends inwardly througha slot 89 in cover plate 85 to dispose of its right angular bent sweepend in arcuate slot 90 (FIGURE 2) at the side of a coin disposed inviewing position in well 73 and a spring support arm 91 and a secondpivoted multi-arm ejector lever 92 having a right angularly bent arm 93the terminal end of which extends toward casting face F past the planeof movement of coin trip release finger 94 formed integrally with coincarrier and slot assembly 95 of coin drive mechanism D, a radiallydirected stop finger 96 adapted to normally engage upstanding stop tab97 formed on cover plate 85 and a spring support arm 98. Spring supportarms 91 and 98 mount a coil spring 99 forming a toggle connectionbetween coin retainer lever 86 and release lever 92 which is operativeto normally urge levers 86 and 92 to their normal home positions withlever 86 blocking the coin exit and lever 92 disposed in position to betripped by release finger 94 upon the next time setting movement of coindrive means D to eject the previously deposited coin from well 73 intothe coin box of base member 21.

COIN DRIVE MECHANISM As best seen in FIGURE 6, one end of shaft 31protrudes from the outer face of casting 23 through an integrally formedjournal boss 101 and mounts an actuating knob 102 fixed to shaft 31 bypin 103. Its opposite end is threaded and formed with a longitudinallyextending fiat 104 extending inwardly from the shaft end face to thepoint of entry of shaft 31 into boss 101.

A lay in shutter lever 106 (FIGURES 2 and 6) is pivotally mounted onface F of casting 23 through an upstanding pivot boss 111 integrallyformed on face F of casting 23 radially outwardly disposed from journalboss 101, a cam disk 107 is mounted on shaft 31 for rotation therewithin immediate juxtaposition above lay in shutter lever 106 (FIGURES 2 and6), and coin drive mechanism D is mounted through its pillar assembly108 (FIGURES 3 and 7 to 9) on shaft 31 for rotation therewith and withcam disk 107, and includes coin carrier and slot assembly 95 (FIGURES 3,7, 10 and 11) pivoted to hinge pillar assembly 108 at 112 (FIGURES 3 and7), anti-backup pawl 61 (FIGURES 3 and 7) loosely fixed by screw 113 tohinge pillar assembly 108 for limited rising and falling movement underinfluence of compression spring 114 seated in a spring recess '115(FIGURE 8) formed in hinge pillar assembly 108, a pick up lever assembly116 7 and cam lever assembly 117 (FIGURES 3 and 7) pivoted at 118 tohinge pillar assembly 108 and adapted to respectively actuate the rackplate 119 (FIGURES 13 and 14), and push lever 121 (FIG. 7) pivoted byroll pin 122 to coin carrier and slot assembly 95.

Referring for the moment to FIGURES 2 and 3, lay in shutter lever 106comprises an arm 125 partially encircling journal boss 101 and formed atits free end with an upstanding arcuate blade portion or shutter 126adapted to be moved from its normal rest position (shown in FIGURES 2and 3), where it deflects inserted coins into and retains them in theirrespective slots 53a,v 54a and 55a of coin carrier and slot assembly 95,counterclockwise to a position blocking the coin slots 53, 54 and '55 ofcoin entrance member E during initial time setting movement of knob 102and shaft 31 through camming engagement of cam pin 127 fixed in the bodyportion of lay in shutter lever 106 and the opposing camming surface127a of cam disk 107 against the clockwise biasing force of lay inshutter lever return spring 128 connected to arm 129 of lever 106 andupstanding spring post 130 integrally formed on face F of casting 23.Disk 107, as shown in FIGURE 2, is formed counterclockwise beyondcamming surface 127a with a peripherally outwardly directed stop finger131 and is normally biased in a clockwise direction to its normal homeposition (see FIGURE 2) by tension spring 132 connected to upstandingspr ng post 133 fixed to disk 107 and upstanding spring post 134integrally formed on face F of casting 23. Spring 132 also serves tobias coin drive mechanism D, shaft 31, knob 102, and cam disk 107 as aunit to their normal home pos tion (see FIGURES 1 and 3) due to theinterengagement between pin 134 (see FIGURE 6) integrally formed on theunder face of hinge pillar assembly 108 with a through opening 135provided in disk 107 and the interengagement of flats 136 formed in theshaft bores of disk 107 and hinge pillar assembly 108 with thelongitudinally extending fiat 104 provided on shaft 31 (FIGURES 2 and8). A nut 138 threaded on the inner end of shaft 31 fixes hinge pillarassembly 108 and disk 107 in end abutting engagement t each other anddisk 107 and end wall 139 of the recess 141 of knob 102 in rotationalbearing contact with the respective oppositely facing end faces ofjournal boss 101 (see FIGURE 6).

The details of hinge pillar assembly 108 are shown in FIGURES 8 and 9.As there shown assembly 108 comprises a generally triangular body 137having a mounting boss 138 extending from its bottom face, oppositelyextending upstanding coaxial bosses 139 on its opposite faces adjacentthe intersection of edges 141 and 142, 0ppositely extending upstandingcoaxial bosses 143 on its opposite faces adjacent the intersection ofedges 142 and 144 and an upstanding land 145 of substantial width formedon its upper face extending along the portion of edge 144 oppositebosses 139 and terminat ng approximately midway of the length of edge144 in an arcuate end wall formed on a radius equal to that of boss 138with the axial center of boss 138 as a center. The opposite edges ofland 145 are tangent to the diametrically opposite ends of the arcuateend wall to a point substantially opposite the horizontal centerline ofbosses 139 as seen in FIGURE 8. The edge of land 145 adjacent edge 144intersects an upstanding annular boss 146 having a tapped blind borereceiving screw 113 of antiback up pawl 61 previously described. Recess115 for spring 114 previously described is formed in land 145immediately adjacent boss 146 and the sides of land 145 beyond recess115 and boss 146 are respectively inclined and inwardly recessed todefine a narrow upstanding rib-like formation 147 on body 137 beyond thepoint of intersection of edge 141 to form stop shoulder 148 for pushlever 121 in a manner to be presently pointed out. Boss 138 and theaxially aligned portions of body 137 and land 145 are aperturedrespectively at 149 and 151 to freely pass and snugly receive theflattened portion of shaft 31 while bosses 143 and the 8 aligned portionof body 137 is provided with a through bore to fixedly mount a pivot pin112 the opposite ends of which protrude and are beveled and squaredrespectively to form respective pivots for the coin carrier and slotassembly to be presently described in detail. Bosses 139 and the alignedportion of body 137 are provided with a through bore to fixedly mountthe stem 153 of a step pivot having an annular spacer body 155 and anupstanding pivot portion 118 annularly recessed at 157 to receive anE-ring 158 (FIGURE 3). Pivot portion 118 forms a common pivot for pickup lever assembly 116 and cam lever 117. Respective strengthening ribs159 extend along the opposite faces of body 137 between boss 143 andboss 138, land 145 and boss 143, and land 145 and boss 139. A radiallyoutwardly disposed upstanding projection 161 is formed on the upper faceof body 137 adjacent boss 139 to form a home stop for cam lever 117. Ashallow land 162 extends along the under face of body 137 between bosses138 and 139 and is provided with a blind aperture (not shown) into whicha spring post 163 is press fitted for a purpose to be presently pointedout. Pin 134 is formed on the under face of body 137 adjacent edge 144and is integrally connected to boss 138 by a deep rib-like reinforcingweb 164. A post 165 having a blind tapped bore 166 is formed in theupper face of body 137 for a purpose to be hereinafter pointed out.

The details of coin carrier and slot assembly 95 are shown in FIGURES 10and 11 and when associated with the hinge pillar assembly 108 justdescribed form coin drive mechanism D. As there shown coin carrier andslot assembly 95 is fabricated from a main body or coin carrier bottommember 171, and cover or coin carrier top member 172 each formed with ajournal bore 173. Bottom member 171 is provided with a spring arm 174while top member 172 has integrally formed thereon in spaced overlyingrelation to spring arm 174 coin trip release finger 94 which also servesas a spring arm. Spring arm 174 and coin trip release finger 94 provideanchors to which the respective ends of biasing springs 176 connected attheir opposite ends respectively to spring anchor post 163 fixed tohinge pillar assembly 108 and downturned stop arm 177 of cam leverassembly 117. Biasing spring 176 connected to arm 174 of coin carrierbottom member 171 biases coin carrier and slot assembly 95counterclockwise around its pivot formed by one end of pivot pin 112while biasing spring 176 connected to finger 94 of coin carrier topmember 172 biases cam lever assembly 117 counterclockwise around pivotportion 118 to normally seat stop arm 177 against the 0pposing face ofstop 161 formed on hinge pillar assembly 108. The oppositely directedarm of cam lever assembly 117 carries spring anchor and stop post 178connected to drive spring 179 connected at its other end to springanchor tab 180 formed at one side of the free end of short drive arm 181of pick up lever assembly 116 to bias pick up lever assembly 116clockwise around the common pivot portion 118 carrying cam leverassembly 117 to normally engage arm 181 of pick up lever assembly 116with spring anchor and stop post 178. The oppositely directed arm 182 ofpick up lever assembly 116 is three times the length of short drive arm181 to provide an approximately 3 tol ratio of movement between the freeends of arms 181 and 182 and is bent up at its free end to form a drivetooth 183 appropriately angled to drivingly cooperate with the teeth ofcircular rack 119 of the meter clock and flag unit 36 to be presentlydescribed.

Coin carrier bottom member 171 is provided with a second arm 185angularly related to its spring anchor arm 174 and of substantial widththickened outwardly from its journal bore to its outer end (FIGURE 11)and provided at its outer end with axially directed tiered coinreceiving recess slots 53a and 54a and an axially directed open sidedcoin receiving recess 55a (FIGURE 11) opening outwardly through itsouter edge and its free end to receive coins from the respective slots53, 54 and 55 of coin entrance member 51. Slot 53a receives dimes fromslot 53, slot 54a receives pennies or nickels from slot 54, and recess55a receives quarters from slot 55 and its open side is closed andcompleted to provide a slot by the overlying portion 189 of arm 190 ofcoin carrier top member 172 as will appear from an inspection of FIGURE11. When assembled in casting 23, slot 53a lies in radially inwardlyspaced relation opposite cam wall segment 66a, slot 54a lies in radiallyinwardly spaced relation opposite the composite cam wall made up of wallsegments 64, 65, and 66 and the slot formed by recess 55a and thecooperating portion 189 of coin carrier top member lies in radiallyinwardly spaced relation opposite cam wall 62. Referring for the momentto FIGURE 10, it will be noted that the end face 191 of arm 185 of coilcarrier bottom member 171 (shown in dotted lines) is curved or cut offalong an arcuate path having the axis of the shaft receiving bore 151 ofhinge pillar assembly 108 as a center and that the respective coins,shown by dot-dash lines, protrude beyond end face 191 to varying degreesassuring proper sliding cooperation of the protruding edge of each coinwith its camming wall segment as will hereinafter appear.

The face of arm 190 of coin carrier top member 172 opposite thatcooperating with recess 55a of coin carrier bottom member 171 isrecessed at 192 (FIGURE to house the heads of securing screws 193passing freely through screw openings (not shown) in arm 190 andthreaded into suitably tapped screw openings (not shown) formed in thethickened portion of arm 185 of coin carrier bottom member 171 tofixedly join carrier bottom member 171 and coin carrier top member 172for conjoint movement around their respective coaxial journalconnections formed by the opposite ends of journal pin 112. Arm 190 ofcoin carrier top member 172 at the clockwise disposed end of portion 189is provided with a laterally protruding stop extension 194 lying in aplane above the upper face of portion 189 of arm 190 and having an edge195 which is curved slightly to abuttingly cooperate with a yieldingstop ring 196 (FIG- URE 3) fixed to upstanding boss 197 having a tappedbore (not shown) by a securing screw 199 and providing a homing stop forthe coin drive mechanism D under the clockwise biasing effect of biasingspring 132 (FIG- URES 2 and 3). The opposite edge of stop extension 194coincides with the clockwise disposed side Wall of a transverselydirected, upwardly opening, recess 201 (FIGURE 10) formed in the outerupper face of overlying portion 189 of arm 190 and delimited above theupper face of overlying portion 189 of arm 190 along the side opposingthe opposite edge of stop extension 194 by an upstanding transverse rib202. This recess and rib structure cooperate with stop extension 194 toconvert recess 201 into a depressed well delimited along the edge of arm190 opposite cam lever assembly 117 and pick up lever assembly 116 by asupport surface 203 (FIGURE 10) normally slidingly supporting thedepressed section 204 of antibackup pawl 61 carried by hinge pillarassembly 108. Compression spring 114 acting against the inner free endof anti-backup pawl 61 yieldingly presses section 204 against supportsurface 203 and provides a biasing force eifective to force thedepressed section 204 and outer end 205 of anti-backup pawl 61downwardly into well 201 when coin carrier and slot assembly 95 iscammed in a clockwise direction around its pivot 112 in response to timesetting engagement of the edge of a deposited coin with its camming wallsegment of coin cam C. To assure proper cooperation of anti-backup pawl61 with ratchet teeth 59 of coin cam C, the end of pawl 61 beyonddepression 204 is depressed transversely to cant end 205 (FIGURE 12) soits clockwise edge rides along ratchet teeth 59 during setting movementof coin drive mechanism D dropping into engaging position with respectto right angular faces 60 under influence of biasing spring 114.

The inner corner of the under face of overlying portion 189 of arm 190extending beyond recess 187 of coin carrier bottom member 171 isrecessed as indicated at 206 (FIGURES 10 and 11) and overlies aprotruding ear 207 to provide therebetween a slot-like space to receivethe outer end of push lever 121 journalled therein by roll pin 122(FIGURE 7) as heretofore pointed out. The opposite end of push lever 121is slotted at 208 to receive the downwardly protruding end of springanchor and stop post 178 carried by cam lever assembly 117. Push lever121 as best seen in FIGURE 7 is provided along its outer edge inpredetermined relation to the outer end of slot 208 with a rightangularly downwardly bent tab 212 disposed to normally engage stopshoulder 148 formed on hinge pillar assembly 108 when push lever 121 isdisposed in its outermost home position as seen in FIGURES 3 and 7. Thelength of slot 208 is predetermined to permit inward clockwise movementof coin carrier and slot assembly 95 during its initial movement as aminor value coin moves toward its time setting cam wall segment. Pushlever 121 adjacent its pivoted connection to coin carrier and slotassembly 95 is provided with an outwardly directed trip finger 213extended to travel in a plane to intercept the turned down end of rightangularly bent arm 93 of ejector lever 92 upon homing rotation of coindrive mechanism 32 under influence of biasing spring 132 and actuatecoin retainer and ejector lever mechanism to restore it to coinretaining position as shown in FIGURE 3.

To assure forceful ejection of the coin at a common end point in thetime setting movement of the coin drive mechanism D regardless of thecoin diameter, the coin drive mechanism is provided with a drop-off orlocking lever 213 freely pivotally mounted on hinge pillar assembly 108by shouldered pivot screw 214 threaded into post 165 formed on body 137of hinge pillair assembly 108 and having an arm 215 overlying the topface of coin carrier and locking assembly 95 immediately adjacent rib202. Arm 215 is provided along its edge opposite rib 202 with a recessforming a locking shoulder 216 disposed to gravitate into radiallyoutwardly disposed relation to the shank of a headed latching pin 217press fitted into the body of coin carrier top member 172 as the coincarrier and slot assembly 95 is cammed inwardly during time settingmovement of a coin along coin cam C. As the conveyed coin passes on towall segment 69 of coin cam C it partially releases coin carrierassembly 95 to swing outwardly under the influence of biasing spring 176connected to spring arm 174 of coin carrier bottom member 171 toyieldingly engage the shank of latching pin 217 with shoulder 216latching coin carrier and slot assembly 95 against further outwardswinging movement until lever 213 is tripped to suddenly release thecoin carrier and slot assembly 95. Tripping of lever 213 is effected byengagement of its outermost end with trip pin 218 fixed to cover plateclosing coin receiving well 73. The sudden release of coin carrierassembly by lever 213 releases the stored energy of biasing spring 176to snap the free end of coin carrier and slot assembly 95 outwardlyuntil stop tab 212 of push lever 121 engages its stop shoulder 148projecting the conveyed coin outwardly into well 73.

The coin drive mechanism D just described, it will be appreciated,provides a unitary factory adjusted assembly for carrying the depositedcoins and conditioning the time setting pick up lever for proper drivingengagement with the drive ratchet of the meter clock and indicator flagunit 36 forming a second unitary factory adjusted assembly which willnow be described.

TIME MODULE ASSEMBLY OR METER CLOCK AND INDICATOR FLAG UNIT The timemodule assembly or meter clock and indicator flag unit M (FIGURES 13 and14) comprises a mounting plate 225 of generally rectangularconfiguration formed at its upper corners with laterally outwardlydisposed, upwardly extending ears 226, at its upper center 1 l a with anarcuate upwardly protruding formation 227 apertured at 228 to mount ajournal post 229 peened to formation 227, and provided at its lowercorners and at the base of one ear 225 with arcuate notches 231 adaptingplate 225 for receiving securing screws 232 (FIGURE 6) provided tofixedly mount meter clock and indicator flag unit M to posts 37, 38 and39 of casting 23 in spaced superimposed relation to the coin drivemechanismi D. Ears 226 adjacent their upper ends fixedly mount posts 233provided with tapped blind bores for mounting graduated time indicatingdial 234 opposite window opening 41 by means of screws 23 5. Dial 234may be variously graduated to correspond with the time to be dispensedaccording to predeterminable tables showing the various clock movements,dial scales, coin cams, racks, indicator gear assemblies, and idlergear: assemblies required to relate the time eincrements purchased tothe various coin denominations. Since the same general structure isinvolved in each of the rselectable varying conditions, the presentdisclosure will'be limited hereafter to the illustration and descriptionof a standard two hour meter adapted for operation by a penny, nickeland dime.

In such a meter the scale on dial 234 is graduated to cover a maximumtwo hour limit purchasable by insertion of one dime, two nickels, or tenpennies. Referring to FIGURE 14 the two hour clock movement 40 includesa clock mechanism (not shown) mounted on the face 10f plate 225 oppositethat mounting diai'234 and is enclosed by a cup shaped cover 235'fixedto plate 225 by screws 236 passing through ears 237 formed on cover 235.The clock mechanism includes an output shaft 238 extending through asuitable aperture 239 formed in plate 225 and having a reduceddiameterethreaded' end forming an abutment shoulder 241 disposedoutwardly from plate, 225. Shaft 238 non-rotatably mounts a 48 tootlrhubgear 242 and a rack hub 243 secured in abutting contact against shoulder241 by' a lock nut 244 threaded on the end of shaft 238. Rack hub 243radially outwardiy from its center is provided with a plurality ofshallow lands 245 (FIGURES 13*and 14), four being illustrated. Theoutwardly facing edges of lands 245 are arcuate delimiting a circleconcentric with the center of shaft 238 and having adiameter to snugglyreceive the inner diameter of rack 119. These arcuate land edges defineangularly spaced seats for concentrically relating rack 119 to rack' hub243. Each land 245 is provided with a tapped blind bore (not shown) tofeceve respectve headed clamp screws 246 the heads of which overlie theadjacent portions of rack 119 which is slightly thicker thanlands 245and serve to angulai ly adjustably clamp rack 119 to rack hub 243 theperiphery of which isrprovided with a radially directed stop shoulder2'48 adapted to abuttingly engage an upstanding stop 249 formed byslitting and bending up a portion of plate 225. Shoulder 248 in thehomerposition of the meter is normally yieldingly held' against stop 249under influence of the spring tension provided by the partially woundclockwork spring '(not shwn) acting to rotate shaft 238 and rack hub 243counterclockwise as viewed in FIGURE 13. A similar but oppositelydirected stop shoulder 248a is formed on the periphery of rack hub 243about 170 clockwise from the first shoulder 248 as seen in FIGURE 13 toengage the opposite face of stop 249 to delimit the full windingmovement of rack hub 243 and rack 119 when a twelve' hour clock movementis employed,

In order to properly orient rack 119'and pointer 251 to rack hub 243 foruse of a two hour penny, nickel, dime meter, a 60 tooth idler gear 252journalled on post 253 fixed to plate 225 in vertically aligned relationto shaft 238 is meshed with hub gear 242, an indicator gear assemblycomprising a 72 tooth gear 254 frictionally mounting pointer 251 fornormal rotation therewith and vertically aligned with idler gear 252 ismeshed with idler gear 252, and pointer 251 is set pointing to the zeromark of graduated scale *234 with rack hub 243 disposed irr its extremecounterclockwise position shown in FIGURE 13 with stop shoulder 248engaging stop 249. Rack 119 is then angularly positioned with respect'torack hub 243 in position to" assure driving engagement of pick up leverdrive tooth 183 with the end rack tooth 257 (the counterclockwisedisposed end tooth as seen in FIGURE 13) upon initial engagement of adime (the full time coin) with its cam wall 66a to swing pick up leverdrive tooth 183 inwardly into its time setting path of rotation as willbe more fully presently explained. Rack 119 is fixed in this adjustedposition by tightening clarnp screws 246.

The under face of rack hub 243, beginning at a point about clockwisefrom stop shoulder 248 as viewed in FIGURE 15, is provided with aradially inset dependent annular rib or wall 258 which extendsconcentrically along the under face of rack hub 243; through an angle ofapproximately 246 to a point 259 where it intersects an inwardlyinclined rib 261 of equal height having an outer camming vertical wallintersecting a reduced height land 262 formed with a cam face 263inclined to intersect the under face of rack hub 243. Counterclockwisefrom land 262 wall 258 continues at the lesser height of land 262through an angle of about 53 to a point 264 where it intersects at anacute: angle an inwardly inclined face 265 The inner face 266 of thecontinuation of wall 258 forms a radially disposed wall coaxial with theinner face of the remainder of wall 258 and intersects inclined cam face263 at a point counterclockwise spaced from rib 261. The purpose andfunction of wall 258, rib 261, land 262, cam face 263, and wall 266 willbe hereinafter pointed out.

Plate 225 (FIG. 13) adjacent the juncture" of cars 226 fixedly mountsrespective journal posts 268 and 269 peened to plate 225 forrespectively pivotally mounting violation flag 271 and expired 272 formovement in opposite directions from a position below window 41 into adisplayed position opposite window 41. Flags 271 and 272 are disposed tomove in adjacently related planes spaced above plate 225 and beneathpointer 251. To this end, a sleevelike hub 273 having an enlargedflanged lower end is journalled' on post 268 and freely rotatably mountsflag 271 for rotation in juxtaposition to'the lower end flange andfixedly mounts homing lever 274 drivingly to flag 271 by tension spring275. Flag 272 is fixedly mounted oil a similar sleeve-like hub 276immediately adjacent the enlarged lower end flange which is of greateraxial length' than that of hub 273 to establish the respective paths ofmovement of flags 271 'and 272YThe home positions of flags 271 and 272is that illustrated in FIGURE 13 and is established by the engagement ofhoming lever 274 with stop extension 194 of coin carrier and slotassembly (see dot-dash lines FIGURE 13) when coin drive mechanism Doccupies its home position with stop extension 194 abutting stop ring196 as seen in FIGURE 3. Respective E-rings 277 engaged in ring groovesin journal posts 229, 268, and 269 retain indicator gear 254 and itsassociated pointer 251, flag hub 273 and its associated flag 271 andactuator lever 274, and flag hub 276 and its associated flag 272 againstaxial disassociation from their respective journal posts. The web offlag 272 lying between downwardly and inwardly directed arm 278 and thegenerally right angularly related arm 279 carrying flag 272 is arcuatelyslotted at 281 around the axis of post 269 and slidingly receives theshank of headed pin 282 fixed in the upper end of a flag operating link,283. The lower end of link 283 is pivotally connected at 284 to arm 285of a bell crank 286 journalled on post 287 fixed in plate 225 verticallyspaced below clockwork shaft 238. The other arm 288 of bell crank 286 ispivotally connected at 289 to the lower end of a flag operating link 291the upper end of which is pivotally'connected at 292 to the body ofviolation flag 271 at a point radially spaced to the right of post 268and below the axis of post 268. Drive spring 275 connecting lever 274 toflag 271 is of sufiicient strength to assure normal unitary movement offlag 271 and homing lever 274 clockwise around post 2 68 when lever 274is engaged by stop extension 194 of coin drive mechanism D to drive link291 downwardly and rotate bell crank 286 counterclockwise to itsillustrated home position on FIGURE 13 so long as coin drive mechanism Dis in its home position with stop extension 194 engaging the outer endof lever 274. In this position of bell crank 286, link 2-83 is in itsuppermost position illustrated in FIGURE 13 and expired flag 272 isbiased in a clockwise direction under influence of biasing spring 293connected at 294 to arm 278 of expired flag 272 and at its opposite endto post 295 fixed to plate 225 thereby maintaining expired flag 272 inits illustrated home position of FIGURE 13. In this position, the lowerend of slot 281 engages with the shank of headed pin 282 and the freeend of arm 278 carrying lockout pin 296 is disposed beneath rack hub 243with pin 296 lying inwardly of wall 258 of hub rack 243 as seen inFIGURE 13.

The outer end of arm 288 of crank arm 286 lying outwardly beyond pivotconnection 289 is bent up and apertured to provide a spring anchor tab297 connected to one end of a light tension spring 298 the opposite endof which is connected to anchor post 299 fixed to plate 225. In theillustrated position of the parts shown in FIG- URE 13, spring 298 istensioned by the overriding force of spring 275 to store power forrocking bell crank 286 in a clockwise direction when stop extension 194of coin drive mechanism D initially moves in its time setting directionaround the axis of shaft 31 disposed in coaxially spaced end-to-endrelation to shaft 238 as viewed in FIGURE 13.

OPERATION Assuming a coin is inserted through entrance member E, itfalls edgewise into the appointed one of slots 53a, 54a and 55a of coincarrier and slot assembly 95 where it will be retained by thecooperative positioning of lay in shutter blade 126 and the curvedbottom wall of the receiving slot conditioning coin drive mechanism Dfor time setting movement. At this time, stop extension 194 of coindrive mechanism D will be in its home position in engagement with hominglever 274 and flags 271 and 272 will be in their respective homepositions with expired flag 272 and pointer 251 displayed through window41 as seen in FIGURE 1 and lockout pin 296 disposed inwardly of annularrib 258 of rack hub 243 as shown in FIGURE 13. Upon initial manualclockwise rotation of knob 102 as viewed in FIGURE 1, cam disk 107 andcoin drive mechanism D will be rotated clockwise through shaft 31, stopextension 194 will leave stop ring 196 releasing homing lever 274 andlay in shutter 106 will *be cammed in a clockwise direction around itspivot 111 through driving engagement of camming surface 127a of cam disk107 with cam pin 127 of lay in shutter 106. This initial movement movingstop extension 194 of coin drive mechanism D away from its engagementwith stop ring 196 and the end of homing lever 274 releases the storedpower of spring 298 to immediately rock bell crank 286 in a clockwisedirection around its pivot 287 driving link 291 upwardly and link 283downwardly as viewed in FIGURE 13 to swing violation flag 271 and hominglever 274 counterclockwise from their home positions to displayviolation flag 271 opposite window 41. Unless this initial movement isun duly rapid, flag 272 simultaneously swings counterclockwise underinfluence of spring 298 from its home displayed position opposite window41 as shown in FIGURE 13 as link 283 moves downwardly to position flag272 below window 41 at the left end of dial 234 with its arm 278extending downwardly to dispose lockout pin 296 radially outward ofannular rib 258 of rack hub 243. If a maximum value coin is deposited incoin carrier and slot assembly 95 and the initial movement is too fast,pin 296 may be caught behind rib 258 arresting flags 271 and 272 inintermediate partially displayed positions. In either case, as theseflag positions change, lay in shutter 106 is driven counterclockwise asseen in FIGURE 2 around its pivot by disk 107 engaging pin 127 to bringshutter 126 14 into blocking position opposite the discharge ends ofslots 53, 54 and 55 as the coin carried by coin carrier and slotassembly moves into juxtaposition to the entry end of coin cam C.

Further incremental time setting movement of coin drive mechanism D in aclockwise direction engages the inserted coin with its radially opposedcamming wall segment 62, 64 or 66a camming coin carrier and slotassembly 95 counterclockwise around its pivot pin 112 fixed in hingepillar assembly 108. This initial pivotal movement of coin carrier andslot assembly 95 carries the free coin carrying end of coin carrier andslot assembly 95 inwardly toward shaft .31, a slight distance only whena penny or nickel engage wall segment 64 of coin cam C or the full timesetting distance when a dime engages cam wall 66a. These relativelydifferent inward movements are predetermined by the respectivelydifferent depths of slots 53a and 54a and the predetermined difieringradial distances of wall segment 64 and wall 66a from the axis of shaft31. Bearing in mind that the present operation is directed to a penny,nickel, dime meter provided with a two hour clock movement, it is to beunderstood that a differently formed coin cam C must be employed where apenny, nickel, dime, quarter meter is desired or a differently graduateddial is used or a different time period clock movement is used. In anycase, the initial inward movement of coin carrier and slot assembly 95,when a coin of less value than the maximum value coin is used, will beless than the full time setting distance required to position pick-uplever drive tooth 183 in position to engage the teeth of rack 119.

This initial inward movement of coin carrier and slot assembly 95 is atleast suflicient to assure that depressed section 204 of anti-backuppawl 61 passes off support surface 203 into well 201 under influence ofbiasing spring 114 to engage its canted end 205 with ratchet teeth 59 ofcoin cam C. Once engaged, the canted end 205 of anti-backup pawl 61remains yieldingly engaged with ratchet teeth 59 until knob 102, shaft31, and coin drive mechanism D travel their full clockwise time settingare determined by engagement of stop finger 131 of cam disk 107 withupstanding stop abutment 301 formed on face F of casting 23 (FIGURE 2).This initial inward movement is insuflicient to impart movement to camlever assembly 117 and pick up lever assembly 116 due to the pin andslot connection 208 between push lever 121 and cam lever assembly 117but is suflicient to swing release arm 94 of coin carrier and slotassembly 95 outwardly into a radial path where it will engage bent arm93 of ejector lever 92 as the time setting movement of coin drivemechanism D is continued to carry the deposited coin past the mergingpoint of wall segments 64 and 65 to eject a previously processed coinfrom well 73 as heretofore described and position arm 88 inwardly ofslot 89 to prevent the passage of the coin carried by coin carrier andslot assembly 95 from well 73 as it is ejected from its slot ashereinafter pointed out.

When clockwise time setting movement of knob 102, shaft 31, and coindrive mechanism D is continued beyond the point where the coin firstengages coin cam C as just described and a penny or nickel is theengaging coin continued clockwise movement will traverse the penny of anickel along the full length of segment 64 without further inwardcamming movement of coin carrier and slot assembly 95 or change inposition of flags 271 and 27. Neither cam lever assembly 117 nor pick uplever assembly 116 carrying tooth 183 are actuated up to this time andpick-up lever assembly 116 will remain in its outmost position passingin an arcuate path radially beyond teeth 247 of rack 119 withoutactuating rack 119 due to the lost motion slot 208. During thismovement, pointer 251 will remain at zero. When either the penny ornickel reach the merging section of the camming surface lying betweenwall segments 64 and 65 further inward movement of coin carrier and slotassembly 95 will occur to different degrees because of the difference indiameter of the two coins causing push lever 121 to slide with respectto the downwardly protruding end of post 178 toward the opposite end ofslot 208. However, when the penny or nickel moves inwardly over the merging section between wall segments 64 and 65 further movement of pushlever 121 inwardly occurs sufficiently only to engage the post with theopposite end of slot 208 while the movement imparted by a nickel issuflicient to engage the opposite end of slot 208 and also to drive camlever assembly 117 and, through spring 179, the pick-up lever assembly116 clockwise around pivot 118 to swing pick-up lever drive tooth 183 toa position to engage teeth 247 of rack 119 as the nickel traverses Wallsegments 65 and 66 effecting clockwise rotation of rack 119, rack hub243, clock shaft 238 together with hub gear 142 (as viewed in FIGURE13), moving pointer 251 from zero to the one hour mark and winding theclock spring sufficiently to return the pointer to zero at the end ofone hour.

Since the differential amounts of inward camming caused by coins ofdifferent diameter on the same coin track wall segments is transmittedthrough push lever 121 to post 178 as herein mentioned to positivelymove pickup lever drive tooth 183 into engagement with the teeth 247 ofrack 119, the resiliently biased connection through spring 179 isrequired when the coin of greater diameter encounters the second step inthe cam track to permit the linkage formed by push lever 121 and camlever assembly 117 to move further without imparting additional movementto pick up lever assembly 116.

In this connection, also, the amount of camming movement of coin carrierassembly 95 available is limited by the relatively small difference inthe relative sizes of the coins and the sizes of the steps only reflectthese differences, a multiplication leverage has been incorporated intothe lever arms 181 and 182. Thus, after push lever 121 has moved asuificient distance to utilize the lost motion described above, furthermovement of push lever 121 results in magnified movement of tooth 183.This assures a proper setting by the engagement of tooth 183 with teeth247 of rack 119 even when worn coins are used or manufacturingtolerances are not accurately maintained.

If the coin is a penny the inward movement imparted to coin carrier andslot assembly 95 as the coin passes over the merging section betweenwall segments 64 and 65 and along wall segment 65 will not be sufiicientto impart the necessary movement to push lever 121 to drive cam leverassembly 117 clockwise around pivot 118. As a consequence, tooth 183does not move to a position to engage the teeth of rack 119 until thepenny moves over the merging section between wall segment 65 and wallsegment 66, at which time cam lever assembly 117 and pick-up leverassembly 116 will be driven to swing pickup lever drive tooth 183inwardly into position to engage rack teeth 247 of rack 119. Continuedtime setting movement of knob 102, shaft 31, and coin drive mechanism Dto traverse the penny along wall segment 66 with tooth 183 engaged withteeth 247 of rack 119 drives rack 119, rack hub 243, clock movementshaft 238 together with hub gear 242 in a clockwise winding directionthrough an arcuate length determined by the rotational movement of coindrive mechanism D with tooth 183 engaged with rack 119. In the penny,nickel, dime, two hour meter herein described, this arcuate movementwill, due to the gear ratios of gears 242, 252, 254 heretoforedescribed, move pointer 251 from the zero dial marking to the twelveminute mark and winds the clock spring sufficiently to assure return ofthe pointer to zero under the drive force imparted by the clock movementat the end of twelve minutes purchased time.

If the coin is a maximum value coin, in the instant case a dime, theinitial inward movement as the dime engages the entry end of cam wall66a is sutficient to swing tooth 183 into engagement with teeth 247 ofrack 119 and rotation of coin drive assembly D to traverse cam wall 66adrives rack 119, rack hub 243, clock movement shaft 238 together withhub gear 242 in clockwise winding direction through an arcuate lengthdetermined by the rotational movement of coin drive mechanism D withtooth 183 engaged with rack 119. In the two hour meter herein described,this arcuate movement moves pointer 251 from the zero dial marking tothe maximum two hour mark, winds the clock spring sufiiciently to assurethe return of the pointer to zero at the end of two hours, and if pin296 is caught behind annular rib 264, will rotate rib 264 relative topin 296 until the pin engages hub rack cam face 263 and rib 261 and iscammed outwardly past end 259 of rib 258 to free flags 271 and 272 toassume their intended positions with respect to window 41 with pin 296abutting the outer face of annular rib 258 to hold flag 272 below window41.

Since the various time setting movements just described are made withthe violation flag 271 continuously displayed and anti-back up lever 61acting to prevent retrograde movement of knob 102 and the coin drivemechanism D, the person operating the meter is forced to complete a fullclockwise turning movement of knob 102 in order to clear the window. Asthe full movement progresses and is completed in each case, coin carrierand slot assembly carries the coin along and past wall segment 69 ofcoin cam C and drop off lever 213 falls by gravity to dispose itsshoulder 216 outwardly of the shank of pin 217 in position to lockbehind the pin shank as initial controlled outward movement of coincarrier and slot assembly 95 occurs during the traversing of the coinalong wall segment 69. Accordingly, as the coin leaves coin cam wallsegment 69 the coin carrier slots will be so positioned that the coinswill be retained therein and coin carrier and slot assembly 95 will belocked against outward return movement until lever 213 is released. Asheretofore pointed out lever 213 is tripped at the exact same point inthe time setting rotation of coin drive mechanism D by its engagementwith release pin 218 and when tripped the stored energy of spring 176connected to arm 174 of coin carrier and slot assembly 95 snaps theassembly 95 outwardly to its normal home position of FIGURE 3 ejectingthe retained coin into well 73 irrespective of its size and value. Thisoutward movement is also effective through coin carrier and slotassembly 95, roll pin 122, and push lever 121 to rotate cam leverassembly 117 and pick-up lever assembly 116 counterclockwise aroundpivot 118 to swing pick-up lever drive tooth 183 out of engagement withrack 119 into its non-driving home position and restores anti-backuplever 61 to its home position out of engagement with ratchet teeth 59 ofcoin cam C. Immediately after lever 213 engages release pin 218 stopfinger 131 of disk 107 engages upstanding stop 301 of casting 23 (FIGURE2) to arrest further clockwise rotational movement of coin drivemechanism D signalling the operator of the meter to release knob 102.

Upon release of knob 102, spring 132 connected to disk 107 actingthrough pin 134 formed on hinge pillar assembly 108 rotates coin drivemechanism D disk 107 and knob 102 rapidly in the opposite direction(counterclockwise as viewed in FIGURE 1) to their home positions ofFIGURE 3. As coin drive mechanism D is restored to its home positionfinger 213 of push lever 121 strikes arm 93 of ejector lever 92 drivingit counterclockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 3, to actuate toggle spring 99to flip retaining lever 86 to its home position of FIGURE 3 with arm 87blocking coin passage 75. At the same time, stop extension 194 reengageshoming lever 274 to swing violation flag 271 downwardly from itsdisplayed position leaving pointer 251 alone displayed through window 41at its set time position and expired flag 271 in its lowered positionbelow window 41 due to the engagement of pin 296 with the outerperipheral wall of annular rib 258 of rack hub 243. This positioning offlag 271 is assured due to the clockwise biasing force of its spring 293and the lost motion connection provided by the cooperation of slot 281with pin 282 of link 283. The meter is, accordingly, set in timedispensing condition with flags 271 and 272 below window 41 and remainsin this condition until the clock movement drives pointer 251 to itszero position at which time annular rib 258 of rack hub 243 rides pastpin 296 permitting pin 296 to swing clockwise around pivot 269 past end264 of annular rib 258 restoring flag 272 to the displayed position ofFIGURE 13 under infiuence of biasing spring 293.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrativeand not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Meter mechanism and mounting for a multi-coin manually operableparking meter having a mounting base including an upstanding dish shapedwall portion mounting a hinge pin at its lower end with its endsprojecting laterally therefrom in opposite directions: comprising a doorcasting of mating dish shaped configuration having a bottom wallprovided with a generally planar face formed with a shaft journalcarrying a rotatable shaft and upstanding annularly related mountingposts:

(a) a unitary coin entrance member having a coin slot passagestherethrough exposed through a side wall opening of said door castingremovably fixed to certain of said mounting posts;

(b) a coin drive mechanism assembly removably mounted on said rotatableshaft for rotation in spaced relation to said planar face between a homeposition and a second extreme position, said coin drive mechanismassembly including a movable coin carrier providing radially andannularly directed coin receiving slots disposed in the home position ofsaid coin drive mechanism assembly in position to receive coins from theentrance member slot passages and maintain them with a portion of theiredges projecting from said coin receiving slots, a pick-u drive lever,and lever means connected to said movable coin carrier and pick-up leverfor driving said pickup lever in response to time setting movement ofsaid coin carrier and slot assembly;

() a unitary coin cam of generally arcuate configuration removably fixedto certain other of said mounting posts in partial concentric encirclingrelation to said coin drive mechanism assembly and said rotatable shaftin position to slidingly engage the projecting edges of coins disposedin said coin receiving slots during rotation of said coin drivemechanism assembly to cam said movable coin carrier inwardly to actuatesaid lever means to drive said pick-up lever into time setting positionduring predetermined intervals of rotation of said coin drive mechanismassemy;

(d) a time module assembly removably fixed to certain other of saidmounting posts in superposed spaced relation above said coin drivemechanism assembly and including a graduated time scale and cooperatingpointer, a winding rack disposed to be drivingly engaged by said pick-updrive lever during said varying increments of rotation of said coindrive mechanism assembly, and a clock movement gear connected to saidpointer through a shaft carrying said winding rack and a hub geararranged to be wound and to position said pointer at predeterminedintervals along said scale during driving engagement of said pick-uplever and winding rack;

(e) hinge means at the lower corners of said door casting in the form ofcars providing upwardly opening journal seats at the level of said doorcasting bottom face for receiving said projecting hinge ends toremovably hingedly mount said door casting to said base member andprovide ready access to said meter mechanism coin cam and assemblies forunit removal and replacement.

2. The meter of claim 1 wherein said hinge means includes removable pinscarried by said ears of said door casting and disposed in spanningrelation to said journal seats, said removable pins being accessible forremoval only when said door casting is swung to its open position.

3. The meter of claim 1 wherein the coin entrance member comprises ablock having a planar entrance face and side-by-side through slots ofvarying width extending through said block from said entrance face tothe opposite face for receiving and passing coins of differing value andsize and laterally disposed ears at the corners of the opposite facehaving through apertures to receive securing screws to fix said entrancemember to said certain mounting posts in assembled relation to saidhousing adjacent said mounting opening.

4. The meter of claim 1 wherein:

(a) said coin cam comprises a block of generally arcuate configurationformed adjacent its opposite ends along its outer peripheral face withscrew passages for receiving securing screws to fix said coin cam tosaid certain other mounting posts, formed along its inner peripheralface with radially and vertically offset coin engaging camming wallscomprising a dime time setting wall of minimum radius extendingcounterclockwise throughout a preselected arcuate angle between entranceand exit wall segments; an intermediate annularly stepped penny-nickelengaging wall comprising an outwardly sloping entrance wall, apenny-nickel non-time setting wall segment of a radius greater than saiddime time setting wall extending counterclockwise throughout apreselected arcuate angle, a nickel time setting wall segment of aradius less than said penny-nickel non-time setting wall segment andannularly connected to said pennynickel non-time setting wall segment bya merging section and extending counterclockwise throughout apreselected arcuate angle, a penny-nickel time setting wall segment of aradius less than said nickel time setting wall segment and annularlyconnected to said nickel time setting wall segment by a merging sectionand extending counterclockwise throughout a preselected arcuate angle toan outwardly sloping exit wall vertically aligned with the exit wallsegment of the dime engaging wall; an upper quarter engaging wall of aradius greater than said penny-nickel nontime setting wall segmentextending counterclockwise continuously between outwardly slopingentrance and exit wall segments terminating at the entrance and exitends of the coin cam, and an upper face portion having annularly spacedupstanding ratchet teeth integrally formed thereon radially outwardlyfrom said quarter engaging wall in annularly spaced relation through thefull arcuate length of said quarter engaging wall, said ratchet teetheach comprising a radially extending wall normal to said'upper faceportion and a clockwise annularly sloping wall merging with said upperface portion adjacent the next clockwise disposed tooth and togetherforming a series of ratchet teeth permitting counterclockwise ratchetingmovement of a ratchet pawl along said coin cam; and

(b) said coin drive mechanism includes an anti-backup level mountedthereon and having one end normally supported in spaced overlyingrelation to said ratchet teeth and means operative during time settingrotation of said coin drive mechanism with a coin engaging any one ofsaid coin engaging walls to release said anti-backup level end intoyielding engagement rvith said ratchet teeth to prevent reverse rotationof said coin drive mechanism until afull time setting rotation of saidcoin drive mechanism is completed and the coin is ejected. i

5. The meter of claim 4 wherein said coin drive mechanism is mountedthrough a pillar hinge assembly on the inner end of said rotatableshaft, said' rotatable shaft fixedly mounes a manually operable knob onits outer end adapted to be grasped by a user for rotating said shaftand coin drive mechanism assembly relative to said coin engaging wallsof said coin cam in time setting direction from its entrance end towardsaid exit end and said hinge illar assembly carries first and secondannularly spaced ipivots respectively pivotally mounting:

(a) said coin :carrier and slot assembly on said first pivot with saidcoin receiving slots formed at the free end of a first arm spring biasedto lie along a chordal path between said rotatable shaft and said coincam and a second oppositely directed arm;

(b) a cam lever assembly including a chordally dispesed arm on saidsecond pivot adjacent the upper face of the hinge pillar, said armhaving its opposite ends provided with a downturned spring anchor tabspring connectedto said oppositely directed arm of said coin carrier andslot assembly to bias said cam i lever assembly around said second pivotto a home position and a post, the opposite ends of which pro- 7 trudefrom opposite faces of said chordal arm, to provide a dependent enddrive connected to said lever meansthroughga slot providing a lostmotion connection and an upstanding end; and

(c) a pick-up lever assembly on said second pivot for movement in aplane immediately above said cam lever assembly, said pick-up leverassembly comprising a first arm having an upturned angularly directedend forming a drive tooth for selecti ely engaging said winding rack, a,second oppositely 'directed arm having a notch formed along itsclockwise edge near its end to receive the upstanding end of said postand formed a qng its opposite edge near its end with a spring anchortab, and a tension spring connected at its opposite ends te, saidupstanding portion of said post and to said spring anchor tab of saidpick-up lever assembly to oppositely bias said pick-up lever assemblyaround said second pivot to abuttingly engage said notch with theupstanding, end of said post and form a yielding driver connectionbetween said cam lever assembly and said pick-up lever assemblyeffective to swing said drive tooth into position to en- ,7 gage saidwinding rack in response to time setting t movement of said coin carrierand slot assembly.

16. The meter of claim 5 wherein said lever means comprises a push leverpivoted to the free end of said first arm of said coin carrier and slotassembly and extending therefrom across a portion of said pillar hingeassembly provided with an upstanding stop shoulder toward said post todispose its opposite endeformed with a closed axially directed slot withthe outer end below and normally eontacing said depending end of saidpost, said push lever having a downturned tab disposed to engage saidupstand- ;ing stop shoulder formed on said portion of said pillar hingeassembly and limit the movement of said free end of said first arm ofsaid Vcoin carrier and slot assembly away from said shaft and establisha normal home position of said free arm end radially inwardly spacedfrom said coin cam; V

7. The meter of claim 5 wherein said anti-backup lever is fixedagainstaxial movement relative to said hinge pillar by ashouldered screwlocated inwardly from its other end in a manner to permit up and downmovement of its opposite ends, a compression spring is mounted in saidhinge pillar in subjacent bearing relatioii to said other end of saidanti backup lever to yieldin-gly bias said one end downwardly to engagea dependent protuberance formed on said anti-backup lever inwardly fromits said one end on an upper face portion of said coin carrier and slotasi 20 sembly formed at the inner end of a depressed recess openingthrough the outer edge of said coin carrier and slot assembly wherebyupon inward camming movement of said coin carrier and slot assemblyto'actuate said lever means said dependent protuberance enters saidrecess permitting said one end of said anti-backup lever to operativelyengage said ratchet teeth of said coin cam and assure full stroke timesetting rotation of said coin drive mechanrsm. r e a e 8. Therneter ofclaim 1 wherein said rotatable shaft non-rotatably mounts a cam disk insubjacent relation to said coin' drive mechanism assembly, said cam diskis provided with a radial outwardly disposed thrugh opening, and anadjacently related upstanding spring anchor post,

7 said coin drive mechanism assembly is provided with a dependent drivepin engaging in said through opening, and a biasing spring connected tosaid spring anchor post and to an upstanding anchor post on said doorcasting is provided to bias said cam disk and said coin drive mechanismassembly to home position.

9. The meter of claim 8 wherein said cam disk is peripherally recessedadjacent said through opening to provide a generally radially directedcam surface at one end and said door casting bottom face underlying saidcam disle adjacent the side of said rotatable shaft opposite thatcarrying said spring anchor post is provided with an upstanding pivotboss journalling a lay in shutter lever having a first arm mounting anupstanding pin disposed to intercept the cam surface of said cam diskand an outer free end carrying an upstanding shutter blade disposed tomove in a path disposed inwardly of the coin entrance member and asecond oppositely directed arm connected to a biasing spring the otherend of which is connected to an anchor post formedeon the door castingto bias said lay in shutter lever to establish a home position for saidlever with said upstanding pin engaging the cam surface of said cam diskand said shutter blade with its leading edge adjacent the lower innercorner of said coin entrance member for cammed movement by the cam diskto block the inner coin slot ends during initial time setting movementof said coin drive mechanism.

10.;The meter of claim 9 wherein said cam disk ;beyond the opposite endof said peripheral recesszis provided with a peripherally protrudingfinger formation providing a generally radially directed stop shouldfacing in the same annular direction as said camm ing surface and saiddoor casting is formed inwardly of the entrance end of said coin cam,with an upstanding stop engagable by said stop shoulder to limitrotation of said shaft, said cam disk, and said coin drive mechanism intime setting direction;

11. The meter of clam 9 wherein said coin carrier and slot assemblyadjacent the trailing edge of said coin receiving slots is provided withan outwardly protruding stop extension and said door casting outwardlyadjacent the home position 'of said shutter blade is formed with anupstanding post mounnting a resilient stop ring for engaging said stopextension to establish the home position of said coin drive mechanism,said cam disk, and said rotatable shaft.

12. A coin drive mechanism fora manualiparking meter having a rotatabieshaft, a'concentrically related coin cam, a coin entrance 'rnembermultiple through slotted to deliver inserted coins of different diameterand value into the coin drive mechanism in edge opposing relation to thecam surfaces of said coin cam, and a time module including a windingrack disposed in superposed concentric spaced relation to one end ofsaid rotatable shaft; said coin drive mechanism comprising a unitassemblyiincluding a hinge pillar apertured to non-rotatably receivesaid one end of said shaft and having a first arm carrying a first pivotadjacent its outer end, a second arm angularly related to said first armand carrying a second pivot adjacent its outer end and an adjacentinwardly disposed upstanding stop member, and a' third arm angulariyspaced from said second arm and generally diametrically related to saidfirst arm terminating at its outer end in an upstanding stop shoulder; alever-like coin carrier journalled on said first pivot and having athickened arm formed at the peripherally disposed outer corner of itsfree end with sideby-side tiered coin receiving slots of diiferentradial and axial depth opening through its peripheral and end faces toreceive respective coins from said coin entrance member and retain themin edge protruding relation for camming engagement with said coin camupon rotation of said shaft and coin drive mechanism past said coin camand an oppositely directed pair of spring anchor arms; a first biasingspring connected to one of said spring anchor arms and an anchor post onsaid hinge pillar to bias said lever-like coin carrier in a directionwhen said coin drive mechanism is mounted on said rotatable shaft toswing said free end toward said coin cam; a push lever pivoted at oneend to said free end of said thickened arm and disposed with itsopposite end in overlying relation to said third arm of said hingepillar with its other end terminating adjacent said second pivot in anout turned trip finger, said push lever being provided at said one endalong the outer edge with an outwardly directed trip finger, at a pointon said outer edge overlying said third arm of said hinge pillar with adownturned tab disposed to engage said stop shoulder of said third armof said hinge pillar to limit the biasing effect of said first biasingspring and establish the home position of said lever-like coin carrier,and inwardly of its opposite end with an axially directed slot a camlever assembly mounted on said second pivot for movement adjacent theupper face of said hinge pillar, said cam lever assembly having an armchordally related to said second pivot in substantially crosswiseoverlying spaced relation to the opposite end of said push lever andcarrying at one end a post having a dependent end normally slidinglyengaged in the outer end of the push lever slot and an upstanding endand formed at the inner end a down turned tab forming a combined stoptab and spring anchor; a second biasing spring interconnecting the otherspring anchor arm of said lever-like coin carrier and said downturnedtab of said chordal arm effective to bias said downturned tab againstsaid stop shoulder adjacent said second pivot of said hinge pillar toestablish the home position of said cam lever assembly; a pick-up leverassembly mounted on said second pivot for movement adjacent the upperface of said cam lever assembly, said pick-up lever assembly comprisinga first arm having its free end disposed in overlying relation to theouter end of said chordal arm of said cam lever assembly and formedalong the outer side edge of its free end with a notch disposed toreceive the upstanding end of said post carried by the outer end of saidcam lever assembly chordal arm and having an upstanding anchor tab atthe opposite side edge of the free end of said first arm of said pick-uplever and a second arm generally diametrically related to said first armwith its outer end bent upwardly out of the plane of said first arm andterminating in an upstanding angularly related tab providing a drivetooth the inner edge of which is disposed to selectively drivinglyengage said winding rack; and a biasing spring interconnecting saidupstanding anchor tab on said first arm of said pick-up lever assemblyand said upstanding post end of said post of said cam lever assembly tobias said pick-up lever assembly in a direction to engage said notch ofits first arm with said upstanding post end to establish the homeposition of said pick-up lever assembly.

13. The coin drive mechanism of claim 12 wherein said lever-like coincarrier is fabricated from a bottom lever member one arm of which formsone of said spring anchor arms and the other arm of which is thickenedoutwardly from said first pivot to its end to form an upstanding blockportion having said side-by-side tiered coin receiving slots formed inits outer end, a top lever member of mating configuration one arm ofwhich forms the other of said spring anchor arms and the other arm ofwhich has a portion abuttingly overlying the block portion of the otherarm of said bottom lever member and is 22 recessed laterally in itsupper face in overlying relation of said coin receiving slots to form alaterally directed well and has a terminal laterally directed extensionthereon forming (an abutment stop disposed in assembled relation of thecoin drive mechanism to establish the home position of said coin drivemechanism, and headed securing screws entered through screw openings inthe overlying portion of the upper lever member and threaded into tappedblind bores in the block portion of said lower lever member.

14. The coin drive mechanism of claim 13 wherein the upper face of saidcoin cam is provided with ratchet teeth and an anti-backup lever isprovided fixed inwardly from one end to said hinge pillar third arminwardly of said push lever by a headed screw for limited up and downtilting movement with its other end overlying said laterally directedwell in axial correlation to said well, a coil compression spring actingbetween said one end of said anti-backup lever and said hinge pillar tonormally bias said other end of said anti-backup lever toward said well,and dependent protuberant means on said anti-backu lever locatedinwardly of said other end at a point overlying the portion of saidupper lever member defining the marginal edge of said well nearest saidheaded screws and normally supporting said other end of said anti-backuplever to prevent its entry into said well until said lever-like coincarrier is cam-med inwardly during initial time setting rotation of saidcoin drive mechanism to engage a retained coin with said coin cam.

15. Themeter of claim 4 wherein said coin drive mechanism is mountedthrough a hinge pillar on the inner end of said rotatable shaft, saidrotatable shaft fixedly mounts a manually operable knob on its outer endadapted to be grasped by a user for rotating said shaft and coin drivemechanism relative to said coin engaging walls of said coin cam in timesetting direction from its entrance end to a point beyond its exit endto complete a time setting stroke, said hinge pillar carries a firstpivot mounting a coin carrier and slot assembly for relative movementaway from its spring biased home position adjacent said coin cam underinfluence of the camming effect exerted thereon through a coin carriedby said coin carrier and slot assembly engaging a camming wall of saidcoin cam and loosely pivotally mounts a drop-01f lever having an endoverlying a portion of said coin carrier and slot assembly and formedalong an edge thereof with a notch defining a generally transverselydirected locking shoulder, and said coin carrier and slot assemblymounts a headed locking pin disposed adjacent said notched edge of saidend of said drop-off lever adapted upon camming movement of said coincarrier and slot assembly away from said coin cam during time settingmovement of said coin drive mechanism to move opposite said notch and beengaged behind said locking shoulder due to gravitational pivotalmovement of said drop-01f lever to lock said coin carrier and slotassembly against counter biased movement of said coin carrier and slotassembly until said drop-01f lever is tripped by its engagement with afixed position stop pin mounted on said door casting beyond the exit endof said coin cam to snap release said coin carrier and slot assembly toforceably eject coins irrespective of their size into said coinreceiving well at the same point after completion of their time settingengagement with said coin cam.

16. The meter of claim 1 wherein said pick-up drive lever includes anarm disposed with its outer end in overlying spaced relation to saidcoin cam, an upstanding tab is formed at the outer end to form a drivetooth lying in a plane defining an acute included angle with the axialcenter line of said arm, and said winding rack of said time module liesin a plane normal to said drive tooth and is formed with peripherlydirected rack teeth radially inwardly disposed with respect to saiddrive tooth until said pick-up lever is driven by said lever means inresponse to camming engagement of a coin with said coin cam during timesetting rotation of said coin drive mechanism to drive said pick-uplever assembly to swing said tooth inwardly to engage said rack teeth.

17. The meter of claim 1 wherein said winding rack of said time moduleis angularly adjustably mounted on said rack hub by the heads ofrespective angularly related headed clamping screws threaded into rackcentering lands formed on the face of said rack hub.

18. The meter of claim 1 wherein said time module includes a pivotallymounted exposed time fiag having a home position displaying it to view,a pivotally mounted violation flag having a home position out of view,and linkage means including a homing lever engaged by a portion of saidcoin drive mechanism when in its home position to assure the positioningof the expired flag and the violation flag in their home positions.

19. The meter of claim 18 together with a biasing spring connected to aportion of said linkage means to actuate said linkage means, when saidcoin drive mechanism moves away from its home position engaging saidhoming lever, to swing said expired flag out of view and to display saidviolation flag until a time setting is efiected to restrain the expiredflag from being displayed upon return of the coin drive mechanism to itshome position.

20. The meter of claim 18 wherein said expired flag comprises a leverhaving an arm angularly spaced from said flag and arcuately slotted forlost motion connection to said linkage means, said arm being disposed tobe positioned in said home position of said expired flag with its freeend carrying an upstanding pin in subjacent relation to said rack hub,said rack hub is provided with a depending arcuate peripheral flange ofa height sufiicient to intercept said upstanding pin and having one endlocated in the home position of said time module to permit said pin tofreely pass said flange end to assume its home position and swing to itsnon-displayed position and a length to intercept and engage itsperiphery with said pin in all time set positions of said time module torestrain said expired flag from returning to its home position uponengagement of said coin drive mechanism with said homing lever uponcompletion of a time setting operation, and spring means biasing saidexpired flag to return said flag to its home displayed position afterthe clock movement returns the rack hub to home position and moves saidflange end past said pin.

21. In a parking meter, a coin drive assembly including a rotatable coincarrier radially supporting a coin and movable annularly between a firstposition and a second position, time module means, means engageable bysaid coin to move said coin and said carrier chordally to a positioneffective to engage said time module means and cause time to beregistered on said time module means during movement of said carrierbetween said first and second positions, and drop-off means on saidcarrier for retaining said carrier in time-setting position until saidsecond position is reached.

22. The parking meter of claim 21, together with antibackup meansoperable upon chordal movement of said carrier to prevent return of saidcarrier to said first position until said carrier is moved to saidsecond position, said anti-backup means comprising a cooperating arcuateratchet and a pawl for selective engagement with said ratchet.

23. The parking meter of claim 22, wherein said pawl is resilientlybiased toward said arcuate ratchet.

24. In a parking meter, a coin drive assembly comprising a rotatable andchordally mova'ble coin carrier receiving coins when in a first positionand movable be tween said first position and a second position wheresaid coins are discharged from said carrier, the improvement comprisingrespective coin receiving slots in said carrier for receiving coins ofdilfering value and camming means for imparting varying chordal movementto said carrier and said coin while being moved from said first positionto said second position to effect variable time settings of said meter.

25. In a parking meter (a) time module means;

(b) coin drive means movable from a first position to a second position;

(c) coin carrier means mounted on said coin drive means for movementtherewith and including a plurality of separate and distinct coinreceiving receptacles movable relative to said coin drive means inresponse to the presence of a coin in any one of said receptacles assaid coin drive means moves from said first position to said secondposition;

(d) a plurality of cam surfaces disposed in opposing relation to therespective paths of movement of said coin receiving receptacles underinfluence of movement of said coin drive means and adapted to engage apresent coin and impart relative movement to said coin carrier meanswith respect to said coin drive means; and

(e) means responsive to the relative movement of said coin carrier meanseffective to cause time to be set on said time module means when saidpresent coin engages a respective predetermined time setting camsurface.

26. The parking meter of claim 25, wherein the means responsive to therelative movement of said coin carrier means includes multiplicationlever means for drivingly engaging said time module means and lostmotion drive means between said coin carrier means and saidmultiplication lever means preventing actuation of said multiplicationlever means until the present coin engages its respective predeterminedtime setting cam surface.

27. The parking meter of claim 26, wherein the lost motion drive meansincludes a pin and slot linkage and a resiliently biased connection tothe multiplication means.

28. The parking meter of claim 26 wherein the multiplication lever meansincreases the magnitude of movement of the coin carrier means byapproximately 3 to l.

29. A parking meter comprising a housing defining a meter mechanismstorage area and a separate coin storage area; hinge means mounted insaid housing in position to serve both said storage areas; first andsecond door means, including respective lock means, mounted on saidhinge means for selective independent movement from a normal lockedposition rendering said hinge means and said storage areas inaccessiblefrom the exterior of said parking meter, said door means for said metermechanism storage area having the meter mechanism mounted thereon; andreleasable means accessible from the interior of said meter mechanismstorage area only when its door is open for uncoupling said door fromsaid hinge means whereby removal of the meter mechanism may be effectedwithout removal of the hinge pin or exposing the coin storage area.

30. In a parking meter including an open face housing defining an areafor housing the meter mechanism and a subjacent coin storage areaseparated by a partition wall providing laterally spaced hinge pin earsinset from said open face and having laterally aligned hinge pin throughpassages, a double locked door assembly for closing said open face toprovide independent access to said meter mechanism and said coin storagearea comprising a hinge pin disposed in said hinge pin through passageswith its opposite ends protruding laterally beyond said hinge pin earsand its center portion spanning the space between said ears; a firstdoor having a hinge portion with a lateral through passage receivingsaid hinge pin center portion and a set screw accessible only from theinterior of said first door for fixing said first door to said hinge pincenter portion thereby fixing said hinge pin against removal so long assaid first door is closed; a second door mounting said meter mechanismcoupled to said protruding hinge pin ends through laterally oppositely25 26 inwardly opening blind grooves and respective cross pinsReferences Cited accessible only from the interior of said second door;UNITED STATES PATENTS and respective lock means for said first andsecond doors actuatable by respective key means whereby coin col-1,455,723 9 Hall 22032 3,160,256 12/1964 Wheelbarger et a1. 194-72lection personnel and meter repair personnel respectively 5 have soleaccess to the respective housing areas and said SAMUEL F COLEMAN PrimarExaminer hinge pin, said set screw, and said cross pins are inacycessible from the exterior when said doors are closed US. Cl. X.R.

and locked. 22029, 32

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION at 5 .102 DatedJune 12, 1970 Inventor(s) C. M. Mathison et a].

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 4, line 70, "upstanuding" should be --upstanding-. Col. 5, line 49,insert "generally" after ---69---.

C01. 6, line 25, "engularly" should be -angularly--.

Col. 12, line 33, insert "flag" after --expired--.

col. 12, line 41, insert "connected" after --drivingly--.

Col. 14, line 66, "27" should be --272-.

Col. 18, line 61, change "through" to --throughout--.

col. 19, line 59, change "contacing" to -contacting--.

Col. 20, line 56, change "mounnting" to --mounting-.

Col. 21, line 28, after "slot" insert a semicolon Col. 22, line 72,change "peripherly" to --peripheral1y--.

olhaiED AN RELIEF (SEAL) Anew Edwufllli'letchc,

0m mm x. m. Mung Gonniasionor or ratenta FORM PO-l 0 USCOMM-DC 60376-P69

